The Gilman Square Street Design project team met last week to provide updates on various issues related to the project’s planning and progress. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Eileen Qiu

A virtual meeting took place on Monday, November 22, to discuss the Gilman Square Street Design.

City staff provided an update on present and future projects in Gilman Square, presented the feasibility study for an accessible path from Marshall St. to the Medford St. Bridge and Community Path, discussed options for protected bicycle lanes on Medford St. and Pearl St. from the School Street to the Skilton Ave. intersections, and gathered public feedback.

Funding and grants awarded to hire a consultant to test how feasible an accessible path from Medford St. to Medford Bridge would be, with no possible designs yet, Intersection Streetscape Improvements Project Manager Viola Augustin said.

The timeline said the design should be complete by Spring 2023 with construction planned to start Fall or Winter of 2023.

The Medford Street Bridge will reopen once the Green Line Extension Project is complete. The vision so far is to close the bridge off to vehicular traffic, with allowances for emergency vehicles, and to create a lively outdoor space for pedestrians and cyclists. The city plans to work with the community regarding the design of the bride, Augustin said.

The city is looking for input from residents and businesses right now, regarding feedback for streetscapes.

So far, plans include raised walkways and protected bicycle lanes Augustin said. They’re still debating between one-way bike lanes or two-way bike lanes on Medford Street. Plans for both lanes will have buffers that protect pedestrians and cyclists from traffic, though.

The one-way bike lanes on Medford St. could have trees as a buffer in between the sidewalk and bicycle lane, or the sidewalk, bicycle lane and streets or parking spaces.

The two-way bike lanes would either use trees to provide more shade for the road, the sidewalk or the tree space could be used for Americans with Disabilities Act compliant parking spaces, she said.

The team aims to prioritize ADA spaces and hire a consultant to test the feasibility of ADA compliant and walkways Brian Postlewaite, Assistant Director of Engineering, said.

While ADA compliant parking spaces and walkways aren’t required by law, the team still needs to follow rules to label a space as ADA compliant, Postlewaite said.

The model for the top of the Medford Bridge will be ADA compliant, but the entrance area is not yet compliant, Augustin said. She emphasized all models are to test for feasibility, and designs aren’t concrete yet.

One participant asked why all of the construction was necessary if the community path exists.

The community path is only about 10 ft. wide and quite a walk from School Street, Augustin said.

“The community path is great, but it won’t be alone only pedestrian friendly path through Somerville,” Augustin said.

Data for parking is still being collected and there aren’t a specific number of set parking spots included in the new design yet, Justin Schreiber, Transportation Planner said.